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<blockquote data-quote="Ridley's Cohort" data-source="post: 6901023" data-attributes="member: 545">Generally speaking, items function independent of who is using the item (as long as they function at all).&nbsp; The effect generated is precisely defined by the item description.From this point of view, your wizard does not quite cast a spell from a scroll, but rather helps unleash the power of a spell that is stored on the scroll.&nbsp; Knowing how to cast the arcane spell is the easiest way to accomplish this, but there are other ways (e.g. UMD skill) to do so.Breaking away from this creates the idea that the spell effect (or other magical effect) is actually being &quot;cast through&quot; the user.&nbsp; Now, that is an interesting and plausible way for magic items to work, but I strongly believe that the letter and spirit of the law in the DMG makes it clear enough that the items in the DMG do not work that way.&nbsp; And other published magic items are generally modelled on what is in the DMG, of course.This all is clear enough if you carefully consider what caster level means for a magic item.&nbsp; Why can't a 9th level wizard cast 5 magic missiles from a cheap 25 gp scroll?&nbsp; Because the mechanical statistics of the spell effect is defined by the magic item itself, not the wizard using it.The Sudden feats are already problematic for a number of reasons.&nbsp; To allow your idea of Sudden casting from an item makes it even more so.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ridley's Cohort, post: 6901023, member: 545"] Generally speaking, items function independent of who is using the item (as long as they function at all). The effect generated is precisely defined by the item description. From this point of view, your wizard does not quite cast a spell from a scroll, but rather helps unleash the power of a spell that is stored on the scroll. Knowing how to cast the arcane spell is the easiest way to accomplish this, but there are other ways (e.g. UMD skill) to do so. Breaking away from this creates the idea that the spell effect (or other magical effect) is actually being "cast through" the user. Now, that is an interesting and plausible way for magic items to work, but I strongly believe that the letter and spirit of the law in the DMG makes it clear enough that the items in the DMG do not work that way. And other published magic items are generally modelled on what is in the DMG, of course. This all is clear enough if you carefully consider what caster level means for a magic item. Why can't a 9th level wizard cast 5 magic missiles from a cheap 25 gp scroll? Because the mechanical statistics of the spell effect is defined by the magic item itself, not the wizard using it. The Sudden feats are already problematic for a number of reasons. To allow your idea of Sudden casting from an item makes it even more so. [/QUOTE]

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